City Hunter: Episode 15

The prosecutor is hot on his trail and it looks like someone’s secret identity isn’t going to be secret for very long. Could the City Hunter maybe just take a wee break from saving the world so that he can focus on maintaining his cover? My blood pressure would surely appreciate it.

EPISODE 15 RECAP

Yoon-sung rescues Young-ju from being gassed to death, and pulls him out of the car in time just as he’s lost consciousness. He stirs awake and reaches out to grab Yoon-sung’s ankle, and tries to make out the silhouette.

Yoon-sung stops, and then turns toward him… just as Young-ju loses consciousness again. Yeesh, playing it close there, buddy? He calls the police to report a man lying on the ground and leaves.

Meanwhile Target No. 4 Chun Jae-man has already burned the top secret book that would’ve served as proof of their involvement in the October ’83 incident. Argh, it pains me that Yoon-sung had to give that up to go save Young-ju, though of course I wouldn’t have him choose differently.

His secretary alerts him to a possible intruder, since the desk guards are knocked out. He guesses quickly that the City Hunter was here, but no matter—he’s too late now.

Well he might be, but Daddy is always one step ahead. He acquires the original book, having paid for the man to deliver a duplicate to Chun. Sometimes I LOVE Evil Daddy!

In exchange for a car full of cash, the man gives Jin-pyo the original copy along with the tidbit that a prosecutor has been requesting to see this book for some time now. Jin-pyo guesses quickly that it’s Young-ju.

He calls Yoon-sung to warn him about how close Young-ju is getting to their case. He even knows about Jin-pyo’s real identity and reminds him that because Yoon-sung drove his father to the brink, the prosecutor won’t go easy on him. “Because no matter what, a father is a father.” Coming from you? Am I supposed to laugh or cry?

Yoon-sung defiantly tells him that he’ll never get caught (says the guy who turned his face towards him not twenty minutes ago!) and that he’ll protect his own, no matter what. Dad thinks it foolish of him to think he can have it all—love, family, a normal life.

Yoon-sung swears fiercely that he will protect them, and Dad says to himself that love and a normal life are not things that they can have.

At home he goes over the security footage in Young-ju’s garage and discovers Mr. Creepy. He recognizes him right away as Chun’s right hand man, who came after Target No. 1, Nana, and now Young-ju. I think you also stole his hat once.

Nana asks if he’s working on Target No. 4, and Yoon-sung tells her she cannot participate this time, no ifs ands or buts. “You saw me going into a hotel room with another woman. Do you still want to help?”

He says he doesn’t want her getting mixed up in dangerous business anymore (’cause her being a presidential bullet shield is less so?) and she’s forced to back down. She asks if he has to continue, the answer to which she already knows. Aw, it only makes sense now that it’s not personal for her anymore, she’s wondering if he’ll ever get out.

They get ready to head to the hospital to visit Mom and bring Ajusshi back home, but then he walks through the door, bag in hand. He says he couldn’t stand the hospital anymore because he couldn’t even watch the home shopping channel (HA) and so cut out early.

Yoon-sung’s face lights up like a Christmas tree (aw), and wonders if Ajusshi really almost died, since he looks so normal. Ajusshi: “Die? Why would I die? And leave the home shopping network? There’s so much more I have to buy!” Hahahaha. Leave it to Shik-joong to fight death to shop another day.

Yoon-sung and Nana head to the hospital and come across a little boy in the waiting room, digging around for loose change. Nana helps him by lifting the couch whole hog, like she’s got super-strength. How much do I love that in regular life, Nana’s the hulk and Yoon-sung’s the prissy one?

The kid, Kim Yoon-shik, says that he’s here visiting his mom in the same ward, and Nana wonders why his name sounds familiar. She muses that it must be because of Yoon-sung.

They visit Mom, who’s doing well, and Nana leaves them to talk alone. Mom thinks that Nana is pretty and nice, since she’s known her for a long time (technically much longer than she’s known her son). Yoon-sung scoffs that she’s not that pretty (heh).

Mom takes out a ring, “Your father gave this to me. Give it to Nana.” He tells her that they’re not in that kind of relationship, but Mom sees through the crap and asks why he’s being so cold and rigid when he clearly likes her. She tells him that she wants him to be happy.

He mentions her ridiculous super-strength earlier with the kid, and Mom asks if it was Yoon-shik. His mother is receiving the same treatment that she is, and she used to work for Haewon Labs (Chun Jae-man’s company, I’m assuming the pharmaceutical division).

Ding dong. New case for Yoon-sung.

He comes out to find Nana dozing off in the hallway, and stares at her lovingly for a while, contemplating the ring. Oh man, that ring’s gonna be the source of my TEARS, isn’t it? It’s just perfectly rife for a tragic twist—Mom’s ring for Nana. Aaaaaaauuuugh. Why’d ya have to do it, Mom?

She stirs awake and he quickly hides the ring, covering up his awkwardness with the complaint that she sleeps anywhere, calling her Nana Bear. She looks up at him with a smile and tells him that she won’t insist on being part of his cases anymore.

“But in exchange you have to be careful. And careful. And more careful. And you have to call me whenever you need my help. You know that there’s no partner like me, right?” Aw. He can’t say anything and takes her by the hand to walk out.

Young-ju finally wakes up in the hospital, and his assistant hilariously fawns about how this is so unlike him, to give up and off himself. Maybe it’s not so funny in the words, but it’s his over-the-top sincerity when we know he’s misinformed.

Young-ju insists that it’s not what he thinks, but his minion is too fraught to listen, which is kind of adorable. He checks his phone, and on it is a video message of the same footage that Yoon-sung was looking at earlier.

He recognizes the man as Chun Jae-man’s lackey right away, and has Chun tailed immediately. He tries to remember who saved him, and he flashes back to the man’s blurry profile… “Lee Yoon-sung.” EEEP!

He rushes out, only to find Yoon-sung standing in that very hospital lobby with Nana. He happened to stop to translate for a Thai man who couldn’t explain his symptoms, and Young-ju watches curiously.

His assistant remembers that the day Young-ju had gone to get Yoon-sung’s blood tested against the City Hunter’s, he had lost Yoon-sung’s tail because of Nana’s interference. Oh no… he’s closing in!

Young-ju gets back on the City Hunter case full force, rules be damned. He tells his assistant to look into Yoon-sung’s family—he’s already pieced together that he’s probably Mu-yeol and Kang-hee’s son (I love that he’s smart!), but lacks proof. He also knows that Jin-pyo is connected somehow, but doesn’t know why.

Lackey: “Is this because of your father?” Young-ju: “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t.” He vows to chase the truth about the City Hunter and the October ’83 incident to the end. I’m so torn! I want him to succeed, but then, I don’t!

He returns to the hospital to see his father, and jumps at the sight of the President sitting by his Dad’s bedside. They go out for a drink (Dude! You’re at a pojangmacha! With the President!) and Young-ju expresses regret at not being able to stop the City Hunter or persuade his father to turn himself in.

The President sighs that turning yourself in is the hardest thing to do, and relates a story about stealing a friend’s lunchbox as a kid, and then not having the courage to confess even when the teacher had offered him an out.

President Choi: The more time passed, the more I couldn’t confess. That’s what it is to surrender. It’s the same for your father, and I’m no different. To lose your timing… what a frightening thing that really is.

It’s so interesting that he’s the only one of the Council of Five to be this self-aware and therefore so full of guilt… and yet that doesn’t make him any less responsible. It’s almost worse that he knows what’s right, and hasn’t the courage to face it. The others can be called immoral or delusional or lacking conscience, but he is none of those things… making him simply a coward.

Young-ju comes home to find Sae-hee there, setting out dinner for him. Aw, she’s worried about him. She clearly feels awkward about being there, but says she just came in since the lock code was still the same.

She says he looks lonely, and he sighs, “I feel like an island.” Crush my heart, why don’t you? Sae-hee is concerned to hear him talk that way, since it’s so out of character, and adds that she’s worried about his father but didn’t want to upset him by visiting since he never liked her.

Young-ju: “I messed up everything with Dad. And you and me.” She takes his hand, “Be strong, Kim Young-ju. An island doesn’t suit you. You’re a bridge. A bridge between people.”

That gets him to smile and she tells him that she’s always wanted to be his strength, even though he used to pour all of that back onto his work, leaving her peeved. Aw. It’s sweet that they can at least be friends now, despite their marriage failing. And I’m sure it means a great deal to her, to have him admit that maybe he’s the one who took her for granted in the past.

Ajusshi asks Yoon-sung if he really needs to carry out his revenge. His perspective has changed after his trip to death’s door, and he wonders now if the three of them (with Nana) can’t run away from Jin-pyo and this life for good.

Nana turns to Yoon-sung expectantly, but he shuts down the idea right away. “If I don’t finish this, I’ll never be able to live like a normal person.” Turns out you’re not that different from Daddy yourself.

Did you ever think that maybe doing this is what makes it impossible to ever live normally? It’s sweet that you think seeing this through means you can walk away cleanly, but though Jin-pyo’s perspective is darker, it’s probably more realistic, truth be told.

He stalks off and contemplates the ring again. He says to himself: “When I finish all this. If I’m still alive then…” What? IF? No IF! Goddamn that ring! I wasn’t scared until that ring came along. Now it just makes me nervous!

Nana brings him tea and tells him to be strong. “No matter what you do, I trust you and I’m cheering you on. You know I like you, right?” He laughs, “How can you just say that you like someone so easily?” She thinks there’s no reason to hide her feelings, since he already knows. It’s great that the guy who can’t say how he feels on pain of death gets told all the time how much he’s liked, and that it embarrasses him to no end.

Young-ju listens again to his recording, with references to “Mission: Clean Sweep,” and wonders, “Lee Yoon-sung, what kind of person are you?”

At the Blue House, Nana and her co-workers chat about the City Hunter over coffee, and everyone shares their opinions on the mysterious figure. Ki-joon thinks that he’s a hero like Hong Gil-dong, while Eun-ah thinks he’s shady.

Nana’s boss thinks the City Hunter is on the side of good, and when they wonder if Chun Jae-man’s statement about the City Hunter being a menace to society is right, Nana blurts out that she doesn’t trust Chun. She quickly adds that it’s because he did nothing when his own lab workers got sick from exposure to chemicals.

Da-hae shows Nana and Eun-ah her collection of Yoon-sung stalker photos, which is impressively large. Eun-ah sighs for poor far-gone Da-hae with her pipedream crush… because she’s under the impression that Yoon-sung likes HER. Ha. You might want to save some of that pity for yourself.

She finds one where she accidentally caught Nana in the shot, the two of them laughing together, and gives it to Nana.

Yoon-sung trails Chun Jae-man and does research on his minion Creeps McGee, also known as Suk Doo-shik. In the middle of his stakeout, Yoon-sung gets a text from his credit card company for another purchase on the home shopping network for 149,000 won. He shouts, “Aaaaaiiiieee this ajusshi!” Hee.

Chun goes to see that kid Yoon-shik’s mom, in an attempt to strongarm her out of her lawsuit against the company. Haewon is refusing to acknowledge that they’re making their employees sick with hazardous chemicals, while the employees are rallying together in an effort to bring everything to light. So basically, Chun Jae-man is the devil.

He then offers her a bribe—money, college tuition for her son, and even a job in his company for him when he gets out of school. All she has to do in return is sign a little bitty document stating that her illness is wholly unrelated to her work at Haewon. He gives her a day to think about it, adding that if she doesn’t sign, she’ll have to leave the hospital. Wow. Just wow.

His secretary comes by to give him a list of the factory’s chemicals used, as requested by the employees for their civil suit. He freaks out that they can’t get their hands on this, and rips it up in an angry panic. He tosses it in the trash can beside him.

Okay, it’s way too convenient that he throws such incriminating evidence in the trash, but I suppose Yoon-sung could use a break.

At the same time, the little kid Yoon-shik finds another coin and knocks into Chun in his excitement, losing the coin under his shoe. Chun calls him a beggar like his mother and tells Creepy to “get rid of it” like he’s a piece of garbage to move out of the way. Geez, let’s just give the guy a pitchfork and call it a day.

Yoon-sung comes home and tosses the paper scraps to Ajusshi, asking him to piece it together. I love that Ajusshi immediately turns off the TV when Yoon-sung comes home, so that he won’t be caught in the act of home shopping. At least he knows it’s an addiction?

Yoon-sung finds Nana in his office, and she happily presents their new framed picture. He reacts badly because he’s incapable of not being a feeling-repressing doofus, and pretends to be angry because the picture was taken without his permission.

She thinks he ought to just leave it on his desk anyway and starts getting interested in the Haewon case. He barks at her to stay out of it, accidentally knocking the picture to the ground. The glass shatters, and now there’s a giant rift between them in the photo. Wah.

She storms out angrily, wondering why he’s always so nasty about everything, and tells him that he can throw it away if he wants.

Once she’s gone he sighs and takes out the ring again. Dad’s words swim around in his head:

Jin-pyo:You put your life on the line every day – what can you protect with that? Loving, and protecting your love… do you really think it’ll go the way you want?

He finds that Nana didn’t even leave, and is instead helping Ajusshi piece together the document. She really does win the award for pluckiest girl ever. He leads her out by the hand.

Outside, he apologizes for being so rude and explains that he really hates being in pictures. She asks for the photo back, but he says he already threw it away. Lying liar. Why can’t you just tell her you’re going to sleep with it every night?

She picks up a gold twisty-tie lying on the ground, and puts it on her finger like a ring. She of course has no idea that putting a ring on her finger is all he’s been obsessing about lately, and flaunts it in his agitated face.

He gets a call from the hospital with good news: he’s a match for his mother and can give her the marrow transplant she needs. Yay!

Young-ju gets the report on Yoon-sung’s past, aka his cover past as John Lee. Apparently his parents are alive and well in Texas, though his school records indicate that he wasn’t exactly MIT material. They smell the fishy, but can’t quite catch it.

At the same time, a bunch of Thai immigrants are escorted in from a recent drug bust, and Young-ju notes it in passing but thinks nothing of it.

A nurse brings a cd player into Kyung-hee’s hospital room and offers that music will help lift her spirits. Kyung-hee sits up at the music, startled to hear a familiar old song, wondering how someone so young could know a song like that.

Oh, it’s Jin-pyo isn’t it? Gah, why are you simultaneously being sweet AND devious? It’s adorably sweet that he sends her a familiar song, and that it really does lift her spirits… but a) that stereo’s probably got a bug on it, and b) he’s now got info on her condition and the fact that Yoon-sung is preparing to give her a transplant. This can only end in tears.

Nana comes to visit Mom and makes her feel better about all the things she can do with Yoon-sung once she’s better. Mom peers at Nana’s hands and asks, “Did Yoon-sung not give you a ring?”

What? Moooooooooom! WHY would you say that? If her fingers are naked, then he clearly didn’t give it to her! GAH. I know you’re facing death, but are you trying to take romance with you?!

Nana comes in to tell Yoon-sung (who is upset about the lack of style in his hospital clothes, heh) that she asked the doctors for a favor and got permission for him to sleep in his mom’s room that night. Aw. He doesn’t do his usual garbled hate-as-love thing, and just sincerely thanks her.

She starts to ask something and then says nevermind… as she clenches her ringless hand. God, I KNEW that ring was trouble. Why Drama, why?

That night he gets to sleep in Mom’s room (so sweet) as she holds his hand and talks about all the things she wants to do with him. He tells her that all he wants is for her to be healthy and happy.

Mom: “I’m already happy.” OH GOD, she’s gonna die, isn’t she?

She sings him to sleep with a song that his father used to sing all the time – it’s the same song that Jin-pyo sent to her earlier. Aw, that breaks my heart for Jin-pyo too.

Young-ju doggedly follows the John Lee trail and confirms that it’s a stolen identity, since the real John Lee died in a car accident. He calls John’s parents to ask why they lied that their son was still alive, and she tells him that a man came from the Triangle and gave them money to buy their son’s identity.

That sparks an idea in Young-ju’s head and he bursts into an interrogation room, demanding to speak to the culprits of the drug bust.

Yoon-sung starts the transplant, and Nana brings him the pieced-together file that Chun threw away, along with research on the current strike at Haewon, and their difficulty in prosecuting Chun. She also found stories speculating on Haewon’s illegal disposal of hazardous chemicals.

He looks up at her, impressed. Nana: “Why? Since I did your work for you, do I suddenly look pretty in your eyes?” Yoon-sung: “Hey, didn’t I tell you? Look in the mirror! Have you already forgotten? You… Chicken Nana.” Nana: “What am I, an animal farm? Why am I always a bear or a chicken?” Keh. Why are they so cute?

Da-hae has taken on a part-time job at the coffee shop so she can buy her dad a birthday present, since “there are no rules that a President’s daughter can’t work a part-time job.” Aw, that makes me like her.

She’s almost given up on getting into college, deciding that she could be a barista because Yoon-sung likes coffee. Ha. Oh, honey, he only likes Nana’s coffee, and it’s not really about the coffee.

Eun-ah continues to think she’s dreaming the impossible dream because Yoon-sung is madly in love with her. Shik-joong shows up to visit Eun-ah and offers to buy her a coffee, and then pays with his credit card… which gets declined. HA.

He tries card after card after card, but Yoon-sung’s put a block on all of them, so he’s left totally on the spot in front of his crush. Ki-joon spots them and swoops in with his card, totally deflating Shik-joong.

He storms into Yoon-sung’s hospital room, blathering incessantly, “How could you? How could you?” He throws down his wallet in a huff and Yoon-sung yells, “I told you to quit home shopping!”

He insists that he was buying things for Nana, not himself, and Yoon-sung calls him out on making up excuses. He tells Ajusshi that he’ll be given a cash allowance from now on so that he can’t use his cards.

He goes straight home to pack his bags, still in utter denial about his problem. Yoon-sung calls, and how cute is it that his number is saved as: ♥ Yoon-sung ♥ ? He hrmphs and doesn’t answer.

Yoon-sung scoffs at the phone rejection and then Nana calls (Her number is saved as: Nana Bear. Awwwww). Nana: “Ajusshi is at my house, and there’s a problem… I think he ran away from home… he has bags.” Keh.

Yoon-sung flips out and heads over there. Meanwhile Ajusshi vents his side of the story to Nana, like an unappreciated wifey who’s left home to teach hubby a lesson. He insists that Yoon-sung has changed.

He wails to Nana, and then Yoon-sung shows up and tells him to get up and go home. But he refuses.

Ajusshi: You promised that you’d make me happy here and that I could do whatever I wanted, but all I ever do is get beaten up by strange men and pose as insurance salesmen for a con, and… I’m going back to the Triangle!Yoon-sung: Go? Where do you think you’re going?! You know I can’t live without you!Ajusshi: What do you mean you can’t live without me? You’re always nagging me! Like you can’t live without me.Yoon-sung: I can’t live without you. I was wrong.Ajusshi: I’m not doing any of this for me. I’m just trying to feed you and take care of you.Yoon-sung: I know, I know. I was wrong. I’ll let you use your cards, okay?Nana: Um… maybe you could have your marital spat at home…

HAHAHAHAHA. That’s what I was gonna say!

Yoon-sung basically dies of embarrassment and drags Ajusshi out of there. Hee. I love his relationship with Ajusshi So. Much.

Nana sends Ajusshi back home and comes to see Yoon-sung back at the hospital. He’s running a fever and doesn’t feel well, which makes him just weak enough to give in and lean on her a little, which I love. Please be sick all the time.

He pulls her down on the couch and leans on her shoulder, telling her not to move while he cools down his fever. Uh… that’s not how to cool down, or do you not know about hormones?

She tries to fill the awkwardness with chatter, asking about his life in the Triangle, and then he catches her making moon eyes at him.

He crosses his arms, all judgy, “If I think about it, you never lose an opportunity. Do you like me that much?” She laughs at the ego of it all, but bounces back in her Nana Bear way: “Yes, I do. This is why the person who confesses first always loses. Why don’t you tell me that you like me? Tell me now.”

I love so much that she’s so direct and spunky. He turns to her, serious all of a sudden. “‘I like you’… I can’t say those words to you. Don’t expect them.” Aw, just stab her with a blunt blade, why don’t you.

She covers up her heartbreak with a laugh saying that she was just joking, and that she’s got some pride. She asks him to fulfill one wish for her this winter instead and walks out.

She says aloud to herself: “That’s right, Kim Nana. It’s not like you didn’t know. Let’s not get hurt.” Sob.

Later, Yoon-sung gets dressed to go out as the City Hunter and looks in the mirror, “I have to live like this. So how can I tell you… that I like you?”

He infiltrates Haewon Labs and takes samples of the toxic chemicals. Without a moon suit? Are you crazy?! People are DYING because of their exposure to this crap, and you don’t even have a gas mask on? Okay, somebody get this guy a Q, stat.

The guards open up the chemical valves and try to gas him out, but he fights his way out and barely gets away… but the exposure weakens him severely.

He has to stop and get out on the side of the road, heaving and gasping for air. Nana calls with plans to spend New Year’s Eve together, but he can’t respond. She realizes that he isn’t answering and just hangs up, while I scream: Have you forgotten that he’s the City Hunter? He could be bleeding out in a ditch somewhere! Track his phone!

He sits like that in the street for a while, and then finally makes it home… where Young-ju is there waiting for him.

He notes that Yoon-sung looks tired, and he replies that he’s been clubbing all night. They’re used to this back and forth now, and keep up the smiling banter. Young-ju tells him that the City Hunter sent him a video of Chun’s man making the attempt on his life.

Young-ju: “I should be grateful, if he’s helping the man who’s chasing him.”

Yoon-sung tells him that if he ever meets the City Hunter, he’ll pass that along, and turns to walk away.

Young-ju smiles, just giddy to drop this bomb…

“You look tired. Get some rest… Puchai.”

Yoon-sung stops in his tracks to hear Young-ju call him by his Triangle nickname, the one his surrogate mother used to call him by.

COMMENTS

I really love this cat-and-mousing between Yoon-sung and Young-ju. It’s escalating in a great way, and I’m so torn between wanting the prosecutor to succeed and wanting Yoon-sung to keep his cover from being blown.

I’m so curious to know how far Young-ju’s going to take this, and the awesomeness of the setup is that both men are in the right. It’s just a relative kind of right, and on two sides of the law, which keeps the stakes high.

What makes the ongoing battle between them so compelling is that they’re both so idealistic and so fiercely sure in their own code of honor that neither is ever going to back down from the other. If you know that Young-ju’s just going to cave and join the team or that Yoon-sung is going to play by the rules, it’s a moot game. But we know they’ll each fight to the death for what they believe in, putting them forever at odds. It’s the most compelling “relationship” (if you can even call it that) in the show, despite the fact that there’s no real movement beyond a stalemate.

I was ecstatic to have some down time for Yoon-sung with his personal relationships in this episode, despite the fact that he continues to be a Noble Idiot Extraordinaire by refusing to admit how much he loves Nana.

I could pretty much kill Mom for giving him that ring, let alone telling Nana about it (grar), because now it’s just going to hang there, in the balance, taunting us with its unfulfilled potential as a trinket o’ love.

July 14, 2011 at 12:12 AM

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I was thinking......
Remember when yoonsung's mom asked the doctor if her leukemia was hereditary? Maybe this exposing to the toxics is what's gonna give him leukemia? I mean it may not come from her but it was sort of like a foreshadowing thing..?O_O

July 14, 2011 at 4:27 AM

July 14, 2011 at 12:58 AM

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NOOOOO.... I don't like that work with each other!!! I would love them to "chase" each other (not to kill each other), try to reach the same goal different (rightous) ways, each has a upper hand from time to time... That's will bring endless bromance and enjoyment!!!

July 14, 2011 at 11:48 AM

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I agree with you QuaTrang. Even though I would also love for some bromance, I think it is more exciting watching YS trying to outsmart YJ and YJ trying so hard to catch YS/CH. The cat-and-mouse is quite fun.

July 14, 2011 at 12:26 PM

July 14, 2011 at 11:56 AM

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I also love how honest Nana is with her feelings. She is such a brave girl and face up to the truth even in the face of rejection. I really admire this quality in her character because if it was me, I would not be able to do it.

I also feel that Nana is the only character in the drama that is open and honest about herself. Everyone else seems to have some secrets or hidden agendas they are hiding from each other.

July 13, 2011 at 10:02 PM

July 13, 2011 at 10:03 PM

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OMG this show is so good!
I even got my husband to watch and normally he refuses. I've been refreshing all day for this and You've Fallen For Me. There's a wealth of riches on Wednesdays and Thursdays. :)

July 14, 2011 at 5:58 AM

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Hubby CLAIMS to be the City Hunter! He's got this cyst (that needs to be removed) on his back and he claims that's his "City Hunter bullet". I told him he needs to take it out himself for him to be the City Hunter. He'll probably faint when he sees blood. :D

We're watching it on Mondays and Tuesdays here and only up to episode 4. I'm going to get him to watch Myeung Wl the Spy too! :)

July 13, 2011 at 10:07 PM

July 13, 2011 at 10:08 PM

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That damn ring, now I keep imagining in my head him holding onto that ring while bleeding to death while NN holds him for her dear life, him saying something like, I've always wanted to give this to you. :(

July 14, 2011 at 2:03 PM

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The cracked photo bothers me more than the ring. Hope the ending scene it's not with NaNa dying as a shield of the President and Yoon-sung due to illness caused by the gas while trying to put the ring on her finger on the last day of the year. I prefer an ending similar to Mr. & Ms. Smith - together fighting the whole world.

If this drama will have a sorrow ending I'll quite to watch the kdramas because I've got enough of stereotypes.

July 13, 2011 at 10:13 PM

July 14, 2011 at 12:22 PM

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What do you mean? Her strength is still there I think. She is just staying by his side to support him in any ways she can. She is giving him emotional support for his mother situation. She agree to quit helping with his City Hunter case when he asks her to. She even offers her help if he needs it. I think the girl is being a very supportive girlfriend.

July 14, 2011 at 7:14 AM

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Jomo... I've gone beyond sqeeing on LMH hotness. Now whenever he appears on screen... I just clutch my heart in pain (cause he doesn't know I exist). T.T

My Hat Range
ANY black cap - 15 out of 5
Black cap with SUNGLASSES - 25 out of 5 for the mysterious sexy look
Hospital cap - 5 out of 5 because nothing makes LMH look bad... plus he did it for his mommy... that makes him sexy in my eyes!

July 14, 2011 at 12:30 PM

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Lee Min Ho does look really good with that cap on. Now I have the urge to go buy some black baseball caps with studs. Must resist!!!!!
Oh what the hell, baseball caps are not expensive, I'll go buy some tonight.

July 14, 2011 at 7:54 AM

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I love that Young ju catches on to things quickly too, but he has this bad habit of immediately letting whomever he's trailing know he's got some dirt on them! Just because you know Yoon sung use to live in Thailand doesn't mean you have to immediately announce it to him Prosecutor Young ju!

July 13, 2011 at 10:24 PM

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Watching Yoon-sung and Ahjusshi's little quarrel just made my day. HAH! Funniest thing ever!
But on the serious note... I can't believe Young-ju got all that info in one episode!! He is smart! But if he knows about what his father did in '83... sigh, I feel like his is going to feel more like an island! *cries...
Thanks GF!!

July 13, 2011 at 10:30 PM

Good Lord! I love this drama. it just keeps getting better and better and better and better, and so on and so forth.

EEK! Is he caught? Or will he just play ignorant? Or does Young-ju have proof?! Yeesh. This drama is making my heart rate race.

I do feel sorry for President Choi, though. I feel that he can come clean about everything, in the end, but he will probably go to jail, as well. What I don't get, is why Jin-pyo or Yoon-sung don't go to the media, or the Prosecutor's office with the facts of what happened 28 years ago. But if they did, what would happen? Anyway, we wouldn't have a story.

July 14, 2011 at 12:57 PM

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I don't think they could go to the media or the law because they have no proof of what happened in 1983. Remember it was a black ops mission and the Five targets has long since destroyed anything related to it. They even wiped out all of the 20 men identities from any official records. Besides, JP just want to kill them, it is YS who is trying to expose them for what they did to the public. YS method is definitely harder to carry out.

July 13, 2011 at 10:42 PM

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girlfriday,
Let me just say that you had my nerves on edge with all your "she's gonna die" "he's gonna die" "oh no, not a ring" prophecies. I read the entire recap expecting someone to croak this episode.

July 14, 2011 at 8:00 AM

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Honestly I still don't get the prosecutor. He seems way more concerned about the City Hunter than all his other giant corruption cases put together. Even the 1983 Nampo waters incident isn't putting him in a frenzy. I know now that the city hunter hurt his dad Young ju has a more apparent reason to be so obsessed with the city hunter, but I still think he's is going about it the wrong way.

I mean lets be honest, Young ju basically knows Yoon sung is the city hunter, even if he can't prove it to others 100%, so concentrate on figuring out why he's going around after all these politicians already!!!

July 14, 2011 at 12:46 AM

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Yeah, I was wondering about NaNa's father, too. And, the vet, what'd she get, like 90 secs of airtime this week? I hope they'll develop her and her ex's storyline a little bit more. He's basically a good guy, he deserves someone.

I'm looking forward to more action scenes, but I don't think a show-down with the sniper is realistic...he was just following orders. They never mention who he is or anything, I don't think it matters. A showdown between him and his "dad" would be interesting, or him and the President.....

July 14, 2011 at 12:56 AM

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nah. my guess is that Yoon Sung's father will die at the end, trying to save Yoon Sung. you heard it from me first. his father is not a bad guy, and he loves Yoon Sung. he even cares for Yoon Sung's mother. if he did not, he wouldve killed Yoon Sung the first time YS rebelled against him.

also, this drama is becoming more of a love story. i hate it. just get on with the action and forget Nana. geezus christ. the whole episode is figuring out whether or not they'll do sometihng romantic. seriously, it's just...ughh..very tiring and cringe-worthy.

July 14, 2011 at 8:10 AM

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I wouldn't be surprised if Jin pyo died while saving Yoon sung at the end of the show, but let's not get it twisted- Jin pyo is a BAD man, even if he does love Yoon sung. Jin pyo kidnapped Yoon sung, lied to his Yoon sungs Mom about her son being dead and killed that politician and 2 innocent cops...

I would actually like to see some more character development for Jin pyo. He's seeming too much like a revenge robot these days. I can't help, but feel like Jin pyo would be affected by seeing Yoon sung building a family for himself. I mean would Jin pyo maybe have some doubt in himself and his claim that he and Jin pyo can't love or have a normal life? Could Jin pyo feel some jealousy towards Yoon sung for all the people he now has in his life that care for him?...some development please!

July 14, 2011 at 4:00 AM

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I've missed Sae hee. She could totally be another girlfriday, ooh, maybe even to Youngju! That would be too awesome for words. But I suppose she's already helped Yoon sung so she can't jump ship :( *sigh.

And I suppose in answer to all the logic questions, it's an action drama. That means we can turn part of our brains down. If not, we could ask a million and one questions (esp about Yoon sung's seeming disregard for caution at all recently.) Turn the real-life-logic radar down a bit and enjoy the drama in peace :) Cos City Hunter is awesome :D

July 14, 2011 at 8:16 AM

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Sae hee is an untapped goldmine of a character! I like her a lot and I wish she was a bigger part of the show. I know Nana is it for Yoon sung, but I think Sae hee brings a kind of calmness to Yoon sung and his super chaotic world, especially in the early episodes. Sae hee does the same for the prosecutor too. She is always so calm.

July 14, 2011 at 8:34 AM

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i wished sae hee had a better part. the only real place she had in the story was to dress up YS's wounds. and she was too good a character and had such good chemistry with LMH to have gone wasted like that.!

July 14, 2011 at 10:21 AM

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i agree wth you. she had such potential. she was the first "outsider" (as in, not ahjussi, jin pyo, or jin pyo's lackey) to know of yoon sung's true identity, but they have done nothing with it so far. that said, i heard city hunter will be 20 episodes long, so there's time for her to make a stronger mark.

July 14, 2011 at 3:37 AM

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Ha! All throughout the hospital scenes, I kept waiting for Nana to remember that she has a father who's also sick. It's as if she's forgotten entirely about the first man in her life, now that she has a man in her life.

I can only laugh.

As for Sae Hee, I really liked the dynamic between her and YS, much more than the cutesy one between YS and Nana. While those who like YS/Nana pairing abound, I think the Show played it safe by playing down any potential interest in making a YS/Sae Hee pairing viable or intriguing. They had such an adult dynamic between them. So sexy. Tear-off clothing carnality, which I would have found more befitting an action thriller, but again this show is clearly trying to cross genres.

But yeah, overall, I'm with you. I would have liked less cutesy, more action. But I'll take whatever little action I can get.

July 14, 2011 at 8:27 AM

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Agree 100%. Yoon sung's relationship with Nana is way cute, but his relationship with Sae Hee would have been soooo intriguing and much more mature. For one, from the beginning he would not have had to lie about his identity as the City Hunter....Gahh, but that's not this show.

...His relationship with Nana could be more interesting too if they kept Nana a badass bodyguard as opposed to the confusing cutesy bodyguard she is now.

July 13, 2011 at 10:47 PM

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I love Ajusshi. Always have. Always will...except if he does something incredibly stupid in the end, but I highly doubt it.
I felt that this episode was calm, but in the good way of calm. Besides, they always take an episode to tell us why the target deserves to be punished before the Operation:Take Down.
I can let go the Noble idiocy of Yoon-sung because he has reasons to be concern and she could die, but that doesnt mean that I hate that he hasn't said "I like you too". I hope that the ring doesnt mean that mom is going to die and that is going to be her only legacy...please Drama. You haven't kill others that deserve death, mom needs to live.
Oh, Young-ju. Its great that he is so good as a persecutor (ok, some coincidences helped) but im still hoping that this two could find a common ground, and now that Young-ju's dad is still alive, that common thing could be the October ’83 incident. That won't make them friends and in the yes of Young-ju maybe that wouldn't justify Yoon-sung for be City hunter, but my inner irrational fan wants that. I can dream.

i am amazed my head hasn't jumped out of my shoulders and rolling off to Timbuktu by now considering the amount of laughing-my-head-off-moments i have had reading very single one of your and JB's superlative recaps... hehe...

more on my breakdown of how awesome your every emotional/intellectual response/insight in this recap later...

for now, once again, a heartfelt thank you from a silly, zany totally-in-love-with-CH-and-LMH ajumma for your priceless morsels of joy, laughter and heartbreaking honesty that never fail to make my day..and night... ;)

July 14, 2011 at 1:09 PM

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I don't know, the ring does not scare as much as that broken picture frame. To me the ring could be a sign of hope for the future, he could give it to her when everything is over. Now that broken picture frame, no matter how much I try to be positive about it, it just continues to be such a bad omen in my mind.

July 14, 2011 at 7:16 AM

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I don't think I want it to go on that long. It's like reading a good book... you just want to get to the end, but you're not reading fast enough. To me CH is like that. I want to know the ending now, but I have to wait. Wouldn't mind a few seasons though. ;)

July 14, 2011 at 11:10 PM

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@tuqaz ;)

i agree with you - i wouldn't want CH to lose the novelty appeal and if its made into a series, the writers and PDs have to have substantial material to sustain that...which from many Kdramas that ive watched with so many episodes, is not easy to do for most K-drmaa PDs and writers...

July 13, 2011 at 11:36 PM

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Oh I LOVE YS and Ajusshi!!! Moments like these are my only salvation to help me survive the depressing gloom of the recent episodes.
No I don't want YS to be sick ALL THE TIME!!! He's been sick like almost every episode since 8? I am beginning to wonder if I'll ever see the return of the formidable City Hunter whom we saw in the earlier episodes. How come YJ is getting stronger and stronger while YS is seen scrambling to his feet on every task he took? The writer's been developing his growing struggle and resignation to his fate way too long. Sign, I hardly see his smiles anymore, and that really really pains me...

July 13, 2011 at 11:42 PM

July 14, 2011 at 4:07 AM

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hahaha I thought exactly the same thing. I want moar of her! She could be such a potential aide of awesomeness if they just gave her the chance! *writhes with the unfulfilled potential

Plus on a totally shallow level, she and Young ju look really hot together. Just saying ;) And how much do I love the mirroring of the KFC dinners with the poor busy men and their women (plus ahjussi...but he passes as Yoon sung's wife....rofl)

July 14, 2011 at 12:27 AM

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agreed, though the two guys wifey bit was very funny!
But that said the off and on again romance thing is starting to drag a bit, do or don't already its getting old.
The evil dad..I do not mind they keep showing you peeks of him being human..ie looking in on Yoon Sung mother, of course he had/has a crush on her. Perhaps that is how they end it..him getting killed and taking the blame for being the City Hunter, thus allowing his 'son' to live his normal life

July 14, 2011 at 12:24 AM

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GUYS!!!!!! I dont thing if it has been posted here already. But I just passed by SOOMPI and got some really MEATY and BIG news! So, tell me, is this what we've been waiting for? Crapp CH season 2 or CH the movie! It's LMH in HOLLYWOOD baby! KAJA!

July 14, 2011 at 12:34 AM

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I read this and suddenly thought "Greatest Love" lol and that guys obsession with Hollywood.
Still he has the right look still Asian but western enough not to upset the USA viewer, but then again he could have gone there to meet Park Min Young as he talked to her also..lol

July 14, 2011 at 1:52 AM

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@Little Lulu dearie ;)

thank you so much for posting this fabulous news!! ;)

though going to Hollywood may be good for his career, but i can't help but feel rather worried for LMH because even non-Asians, even Americans find Hollywood a dog-eat-dog-world, cut-throat-world, an environment where many of the people in the industry themselves do not like to be in, and do not live there to bring up their children or set up family, but they have no choice but to be there because of their careers...

in short, its not an environment where a person can grow into healthy (in every way that matters), stable and genuinely-happy individual...

so im worried for how it will affect LMH who is a shy, soft-spoken and humble person who is very close to his family and best friends Jung Il-woo and Kim Bum...

July 14, 2011 at 8:39 AM

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I could definitely see LMH as a cross over star. But the world of Korean dramas/entertainment seems pretty dog eat dog too. From their rigorous schedules to the hyper management of their personal lives. Plus the number of suicides in the entertainment industry...Depressing. But LMH is pretty awesome so I find it difficult to think he would get caught up in all that Hollywood ridiculousness... And other Korean actors who've gone international have done well too.

July 14, 2011 at 5:12 AM

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I am not very happy about that, I immediately remembered Rain's "Ninja Assassin" where the poor guy had - I don't know... 10 lines?! i suppose he can do it for the money but I don't think it is worth it.

July 19, 2011 at 7:09 AM

July 14, 2011 at 12:50 PM

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Great that LMH is getting attention . He is Potential Hollywood material, but it would be better if he hones his acting skills further in a few movies first. Going to Hollywood more prepared will improve chances of success.